For Love
by Kalira69
Summary: Nothing will sway the Lord of the Underworld so swiftly as the plea of justice for a lover's heart. (Written for Sheith Month, Day 2. Greek mythology AU.) (Death and Spring series)


Written for Day 2 of Sheith Month: Hades.

I knew as soon as I looked at the prompt list I was going to write a mythology AU for this one. (Although I admit to some surprise at seeing it on the list.) For this assume that Hades and Persephone (or Persephon, for a masculine version) are titles rather than names, basically.

Remember an alternate version of the myth of Hades and Persephone (there are a number of them) where she was not kidnapped but wandered down into the Underworld on her own; that Persephone is a goddess of creation and destruction via her role as goddess of spring/fertility/the power of life in vegetation, and after becoming Queen of the Underworld is the one responsible for handing down the curses of men while Hades is more cool and reasonable.

* * *

Shiro inclined his head, inspecting the young man kneeling before his throne. A wave dismissed the dead shades that had escorted him here.

"I beg of you, my lord Hades, be merciful to a lover's heart." the boy pleaded, impassioned, his face wet with tears.

Shiro frowned as he listened to the mortal's story. He did not care for seeing lovers parted so young and so harshly, but it was not his task to measure and cut the threads. Though many of his brethren whose purviews were further removed from the weighty matters of life and death certainly toyed with the threads of mortal lives without a second thought. Shiro's expression pinched, his mood souring. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face with one hand, taking a few deep breaths.

A scent of fresh wheat, lilies, and blood reached his nose, and he straightened, his burgeoning headache beginning to fade as his husband drifted in. Keith moved past his own throne - the equal to Shiro's, standing at its side - and came to a stop by Shiro's left arm, resting a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"Grant him his boon, Shiro." Keith said, his gaze kind as it fell on the supplicant. "He fought hard for the hope of it, and it was a cruel twist that tore them asunder. Let him try to win his lover back."

The youth had bowed his head when Keith walked across the dais, but now he watched them, his eyes red-rimmed with crying, his hands clasped before him.

"I know, my flower, but he walked into my realm, rightfully he should not walk out again. . ." Shiro said reluctantly, though as he spoke the words recalled to him a strikingly clear memory, edged with Shiro's shock and confusion. A slim figure clad in pale red that billowed in the winds over the plains of Hades as he simply walked into the shadowy realm, bright flowers twined in his wild, dark hair.

Keith pouted and settled on the arm of Shiro's throne, cupping his face and tilting his head until his husband's wide violet eyes filled his sight. "What would you do, were it me taken from you?" he asked softly, stroking Shiro's jaw lightly with a hand callused from shaping the birth of new life every spring and controlling its destruction every autumn.

Shiro's heart softened yet further, because he had been willing to declare war to take his beloved back when Keith had been stolen away soon after their wedding.

Fortunately it had not come to that, though Shiro had been ready. Keith had been in a towering rage himself and however much his mother wished to keep him at her side, there was little to be done towards restraining Keith when his mind was made up. As Shiro now knew quite well, though he had nothing but fondness for his husband's wilful temper.

Keith smiled at him and brushed a kiss over his brow. "Let the boy take his lover back." he said softly against Shiro's temple. Shiro sighed as he looked back at the boy. His almost honey-gold eyes were wide and frightened, but he didn't recoil and he kept watching the gods deciding his fate.

"I cannot just _give_ back a dead soul." Shiro said reluctantly.

"There are _ways_." Keith pointed out, his tiny smile saying he knew he'd already won.

"There are." Shiro allowed. "It will be difficult." he warned, but it was by rote - the boy had entered Hades alone, walked under Cerberus' noses and crossed the river Styx, prostrated himself before the Underworld thrones. He wouldn't balk or tremble now.

"If you succeed, you must succeed alone." Keith said, steel in his voice, and the boy bowed his head in understanding, just the slightest fraction, his eyes fixed on Keith's face. "But if you win freedom for you and your lover, you will walk free to the world above with my blessing." he said more gently.

The boy looked stunned, and Shiro hid a smile. Keith had a soft heart, though it be oft hidden away and guarded with the ferocity of a dozen warriors bearing well-honed blades. And the blessing of Persephon was nothing to take lightly, Prince of the Underworld and God of spring and nature's abundance.

"Thank you, lord Persephon." the boy said fervently, and Keith smiled slightly. "And thank you, lord Hades." he added, clasping his hands tightly before him and bowing.

Shiro spelled out what he must do, and the boy firmed his expression and nodded solemnly.

They watched his trials, and Shiro might have turned aside his gaze when a few spirits offered the boy their assistance. It was willingly given, and the boy fought on well with or without aid. Shiro twined his fingers through Keith's as they watched the lovers reunite, and Keith rested his head on Shiro's shoulder, warm and content.

He curled his arm around his beloved, and summoned a guide for the young mortals as they knelt and gave thanks to Hades and Persephon. Keith blew a kiss that carried the same scent that always surrounded him, a sparkling breeze wrapping around them and sinking into their skin and hair.

"Walk freely and return to the land of the living." Shiro instructed, nodding to the spirit who would guide them upwards.

"Carry my blessing with you and stand firm and together, always." Keith said, his voice soft as a spring breeze, but carrying all the power of a hurricane.

They stood together and watched as the young lovers walked away, heading towards the world of life above. Shiro tugged Keith close, resting his lips against Keith's temple, one of the dusky purple flowers wound into his hair brushing Shiro's cheek.

A soft hum from his husband carried Keith's smile, and Shiro's own answered it as he nuzzled into wild black hair. Keith tilted his head back and trailed a hand over Shiro's face and along his jaw, his heart in his vivid eyes.

"Thank you, my darling." Keith said softly, and leaned up to kiss Shiro.

Shiro returned the kiss, tucking Keith against himself with both arms snug around his waist. "I am gladdened to see two such devoted hearts reunited, my flower." he returned as their lips parted. "They deserved better than the lot they were served."

"Ever so just, my darling." Keith crooned fondly, and Shiro ducked his head shyly only to meet his husband leaning up for another kiss, soft and sweet. "I love you." Keith settled back on his heels, a warm smile curving his lips.

"And I you." Shiro replied, resting his brow against Keith's. "So very much."

* * *

. . .is my mythology geek showing? . It was tempting to do more with this, but time constraints in this case were probably a good thing. I enjoyed writing this a lot, though!

The young man was not meant to be Orpheus, incidentally, just a random youth whose lover was killed after some meddling interference from another god, and was determined not to lose them.


End file.
